1. Technical Field
The features herein relate to an inkjet recording apparatus that records an image on a recording medium by discharging ink. More particularly, the present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus including an image sensor that picks up a recorded image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known inkjet recording apparatus includes a line image sensor that reads a chart printed on a recording medium at a position adjacent to a downstream side of a line head in a conveying direction. Any nozzle improperly discharging ink in the line head is detected from image data obtained by the line image sensor. Therefore, even if any nozzle improperly discharging ink exists, a predetermined supplementary operation is performed to prevent considerable deterioration of image quality.
A glass surface, which is a reading surface, of the reader used in the inkjet recording apparatus in this example is always exposed to suspended mist of the ink. When the glass surface becomes dirty due to foreign matter, such as ink mist, adhering to the glass surface, an image cannot be accurately read. This may result in erroneous detection.
Accordingly, in the inkjet recording apparatus in this example, when the glass surface is dirty, the reader is moved upward, and a cleaning blade that has been moved to a location below the glass surface in a sheet conveying direction is slid along the glass surface in a longitudinal direction of the reader to remove the ink mist adhered to the glass surface. However, in this example, a mechanism for raising and lowering the reader and a mechanism for moving the cleaning blade in two orthogonal directions are required. This causes the apparatus to become sophisticated and large.